1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to steel stud building wall systems, and, more particularly to apparatus for stabilizing steel studs to prevent movement and twisting in such systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many industrial buildings and a growing number of residential buildings are being constructed with steel stud wall framing for the various benefits obtained, such as environmental quality, fire safety, freedom from warpage, insects, rust and rot. When building a wall with any stud, whether wood or steel, it is necessary to ensure that sequential such studs are held in fixed positions relative to each other and also that they do not tend to twist or move laterally. In wood-stud walls, a short wood piece is typically nailed in place between adjacent studs to stabilize each of the studs. In steel stud walls, a steel channel is typically inserted horizontally through a pre-punched opening in each of the vertically disposed studs to keep the studs aligned. Since a steel stud has relatively good columnar strength when straight, but loses a significant portion of this strength if twisted, the channel is made to fit the punched opening fairly snugly to minimize twisting. In addition to mechanical twisting, studs can twist or bend from the heat of a fire once the wall-surface drywall sheet has been destroyed. When the studs twist or bend, they effectively lose their ability to support weight, adding to the damage caused to the building from the fire.
While such a channel keeps the studs from twisting, it is not adequate to keep the studs from shifting or bending in a direction parallel to the wall being built. A simple right angle sheet metal bracket has been available to prevent this bending or shifting, although its installation is comparatively labor intensive. A user places the bracket with one section on top of the horizontal channel and the other section against a stud. Screws are inserted through the holes in each section to affix the angle to the stud and the channel. The bracket relies on the screws to accomplish its task, and relies on the installer for correct positioning.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a stabilizing clip which is simple and easy to install for use in conjunction with steel studs and steel channels and which maintains the relative orientation therebetween.
Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.